There are occasional reports of overwintering Steppe Buzzards, although very rarely, and most of the time they do turn out to be juv Jackal Buzzards. This bird is definitely a youngster due to its yellow eye, but it's tough to tell from this photo whether it's a young Jackal or Steppe Buzzard. Both would actually be an unusual sighting, as it is rare to see a Steppe Buzzard in the middle of winter, but it's also very rare to find a Jackal Buzzard in the KTP. The white on the flanks worries me a bit for Jackal Buzzard. Do you have any more shots of this bird Sky?

Hi Sky, I didn't know you took this photo in Winter! As you say it's a different story then...Here is another view of the bird you send me and the yellow eye as I mentioned before as well as the barring on the secondaries show that this is a juv. JB and not a Steppe Buzzard.

yvo wrote:Hello,I saw this bird this July in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.I thought it was a Jackal buzzard (juvenile) ... but I'm no longer sure of anything. Please, what is your feeling with it ?Regards,

yvo

I don't know, the GISS just doesn't scream out Buzzard to me. Do you have any other photos of this bird? Maybe the horizontal posture puts me off course here. Furthermore the eye colouration is also interesting. I am trying very hard to make an immature rufous form of Ovambo Sparrowhawk out of this bird.